Safe arrival at the Arizona Renaissance Festival campground. Let the new chapter begin!
Kev
Groovy!!
We have an excellent campsite this year! Our only neighbor is only here on weekends and there is plenty of room for our workshop, etc.
Gotta set up the pavilion tent today, then go to the post office and mail out a trebuchet and mousetrap catapult...and that's pretty much it!
Camp is all set up, stock is already built, so all we really have to do this week if set up the tent and tables. Excellent!
Kev
Got the tent all set up, then went to the post office to mail out the internet order.
Then I stopped at the local junkyard. They have the doors I need for the K5 for 125 each complete, and 50 bucks for the fender. If they still have them after the weekend I'll pick them up.
Tomorrow we'll set up the tables and stock and get ready to open!
Opening day this coming weekend. Time to make some money again! Down to our last 400 bucks...lol!
Kev
Patti's booster seat...LMFAO!!!
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/AVALON/Picture258_zpsf687cc1f.jpg)
Kev
Finally.... pictures... Thanks Kevin!
LOL! I'm a picture hoor...if they are appropriate.
Kev
I plead the fifth. :D
Oops! My bad! Faire opens NEXT weekend, so we get a nice long rest before opening.
Kev
Looks like its going to be a frugal and quiet almost 2 weeks! Down to about 400 bucks, but the cabinets and fridge are well stocked. Puppy food getting low, so I'll have to make a run tomorrow.
And note to self: Don't pour your wifey who barely drinks a drink at the strength you'd drink it at, or you'll be cooking dinner yourself...lol!
Kev
All I can say to that is, :)rotflmao
LOL! Patti was a little green around the gills this morning, but she's feeling fine now.
I didn't add THAT much Fireball whiskey to her Rum Chatta!
Super lazy day today. Played with the pups for most of it on the porch. Smart pups...they learned what wireless fences are right quick, and stay right where they are supposed to. Faire owner was cool with the electric fence as well, so we won't have to erect a solid fence, which is great!
Tomorrow I have to make a dogfood run, stop by the gun shop and maybe trade my Savage 30/06 in on a Ruger 30/06, and then try to troubleshoot the horn wiring on the Blazer, and maybe fix the wipers while I'm at it.
Kev
Went to the gun shop and lucked out on trading my Savage 110 30/06 for a beautiful Ruger M77 30/06...just 60 bucks out of pocket, payable after opening weekend...SWEET! What an awesome upgrade!
Awesome gunshop. Fully stocked up again after last year's scare...although .22 longrifle is still hard to find.
Going to take Patti to the flea market today, and that's pretty much it.
Kev
http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/ammo.htm (http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/ammo.htm)
www.the-armory.com (http://www.the-armory.com)
Hi, thanks for taking the time to make your posts every day. i always look forward to reading them and imagine myself with a working winnabago on vacation.
try the two sites above for ammo. the cmp is a government site for amature shooters. a six month wait, but $300 for 5000 rounds. the armory puts you on a waiting list when the ammo you pick becomes available. keep writing.
thanks, Steve
Thanks Steve!
So while at the gunshop a couple of days ago, I noticed he had a lot of the new Ruger LCR revolvers. Well heck...I'm not much for plastic guns, but its a Ruger.
I went home and read every forum and review of the new revolver and couldn't really find one negative thing about it, so I made my decision. My 2 3/4" Ruger Service Six was just collecting dust in my drawer, since its almost as big as my 4" Stainless Security Six. I took it to the gun shop, he gave me a GREAT trade in, and I walked out of the store with my new to me Ruger M77 30/06, and a hefty deposit on the LCR in .357 Magnum.
Long story short, Patti went to the gun shop with me today, took one look at the LCR in .38 special +P, and decided she wanted one too! She traded in her Colt Agent, and again the gun shop gave us a great trade in value. She ended up walking out the door with her new Ruger LCR, more money was added to mine on layaway, and it was a done deal. I should be able to pick it up after the weekend.
For anyone looking for a conceal carry gun, I have to highly recommend the Ruger LCR! Even in .357 its fun to shoot, although it kicks. In .38, its unbelievably light on the felt recoil! Same with +P ammo. Its polymer grip frame and aluminum and stainless steel main components make it a super light gun, but the Hogue tamer grips and polymer grip frame reduce felt recoil amazingly! The hottest +P rounds feel less harsh than light .38 specials through her Agent. Trigger breaks around 8 lbs, and is smooth as butter right out of the box...and because of its cam design, it feels more like 4-5 lbs on double action! This is pretty much a zero maintenance gun, except cleaning it after shooting it. You don't have to keep wiping it down and oiling it, you can't scratch the finish unless you run over it with snow tires and chains, and its a Ruger! Accurate and strong...and now light as all getout! If you want a carry gun, this is it! Great gun to take out camping too...don't matter if it gets wet or dirty or sandy or dusty...won't hurt it! Perfect pocket gun, around 13 ounces. With one of these you can always be armed (where legal), without having to figure out what to wear or which holster to use.
Outstanding!
Okay...enough of the gun review...lol! Would be a great camp gun though...and for those of you with kids, there is a built in lock under the grip.
I just can't rave enough about this new gun from Ruger...but I'll stop now.
Other than the gun shop and test firing, we went grocery shopping, played with the pups, and that was pretty much it.
Kev
Sorry Kevin, I'll still never own a plastic gun. A few months ago, Shotgun News had a mostly tongue and cheek article named "Why I'll Never Own A Plastic Gun". Although a little bit sarcastic, it did point out manufactures spend a fortune developing the molds but once done, they spit guns out as fast as Lego blocks. He talked alot about Glocks, and said the reason they were popular with law enforcement was because they were fail/foolproof. Very loose tolorances and little fine fitting components. My next gun? A Springfield EMP .40. However, congrats to you and Patty's new aquisitons! As long as it goes bang when needed its a keeper.
Sorry for the diversion Kevin and Mark.
No need to be sorry! This is a Travel blog, and as long as travel blogs don't get too heated or political, Mark is good with that. Diverting is the nature of a travel blog...lol!
Let me reexplain a bit why we chose the LCRs as knock around almost zero maintenance CCR and travel guns. Only the grip frame and trigger and lockworks housings are polymer plastics. The main frame around the cylinder is one piece seamless metal...high strength aluminum in the case of the .38 that Patti has, and stainless steel in the case of my .357. They are coated in a thick polymer coating, but the main frames of these guns are steel. The cylinders, whether they are black or silvery looking, are stainless steel as well...heavily fluted to shave weight, which reminds me of Old West guns and I like the look of the extreme fluting. The barrel on both are sleeved nicely rifled stainless steel, and every other component on the gun is stainless, including the screws and springs. The internal components are electroless nickel PTTF Teflon coated, so they don't even recommending lubricating them except every 1000 rounds or so. This gun was designed to throw in a drawer or glove box, a pocket or a purse, a holster or a backpack, and never have to worry about it not firing when needed. You can ride it hard and put it away wet, and it won't corrode or even get a marred finish.\
Its a vastly different animal from a polymer plastic automatic pistol. Again, the entire mainframe is one piece of metal...so the tolerances stay tight. Cylinder gap is around .009, which is very respectable on any revolver. There is a test gun on the internet that already has 12,500+ rounds of .357s put through it, and the cylinder gap is still .009.
This isn't the first gun with a steel mainframe and softer material grip frame...just look at the Ruger Blackhawk, which is one of the strongest guns ever made! Steel mainframe, alloy grip frame. Early ones had brass grip frames! My customized .357 Blackhawk has a custom brass grip frame to match my Henry Big Boy lever action in .357. Yeah, I like that caliber...lol!
So its not a plastic throw away guns...the important parts are good old metal.
And DANG they are nice!
Kev
(http://www.chuckhawks.com/ruger_LCR.jpg)
Reminds me of something from Firefly!
Kev
I dunno, Kevin, Mals is a bit longer and magazine fed Janes is nearly the same as Mals and Zoes is a cutoff lever action.. :)
God, I'mma nerd.. ???
LOL Frederic! Actually, Captain Mal's is a modified French LaMat revolver. It was a neat cap and ball blackpowder revolver carried by Confederate calvary officers during the civil war. It was a nine shot revolver, with a 20 gauge shotgun barrel underneath the main barrel. It was a pretty neat gun! For the Firefly series, they took a replica of one, still available from Pietta arms, and added some sheetmetal plates over the cylinder so it would look a little more space age/steam punk.
(http://amhistory.si.edu/img/collections_xlarge/2001-4021_428px.jpg)
(http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/2/29/FireflyMal%27sgun.jpg/501px-FireflyMal%27sgun.jpg)
Who's the nerd?...lmao!
Kev
AND metal framed..... LOL
Lol, Oldrockandroller!
Kevin, boy do I know Pietta replicas, lol, I own one.. ;)
(http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a531/coachmanm500/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140205_150217_341_zps9aqqbwzy.jpg)
(http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a531/coachmanm500/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140205_150427_793_zpslmzepbkb.jpg)
Colt Army 1858. Love it. I also got myself an extra cylinder and a nice leather holster. I know during the development they at one point used a .38 model 85 Taurus Revolver.
I also have the same pants (frontier classic) from the company that made Mals less the brown piping down the side of the legs which I will add as soon as my sewing machine is fixed..
(http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a531/coachmanm500/IMG_20130706_171317_660_zps2c450caf.jpg)
Who da nerd???
You da man..
LOL! Gotta love Frontier Classics! I have a maroon calvary shirt from them, the pants, and a brown duster jacket. Good prices on a quality garment.
Looking into Versacarry "holsters" for the LCRs...very promising so far.
Kev
Got the booth all set up with Patti today, we are fully stocked with marshmallows and snack bags and paper sales bags, and are ready to rock and roll!
Had to make a trip to town for dog food...they eat like horses!...and no salt greenbeans for Barnabas (he likes those, and decided he HATES pumpkin), and some libations of course.
One more day off tomorrow...besides getting all our costuming ready. Then its game on for the next several weeks! Back to work! And its a busy show, so we'll be butt deep in all kinds of work!
Kev
I see you will be at New York Renaissance Faire, Tuxedo, NY. in Aug-Sept never been to one before looks very cool Its only a 6 1/2 hour drive from Ottawa Ontario . I am going to see if I can talk Catherine into going to it for one the of weekends if we have enough funds left over from our 6 six vacation traveling across Canada . It might have to wait until next year but you never know!
Kev.
We are in for the festival on Saturday, the 22nd. Will be toweding in from Lost Dutchman SP. that morning.
Awesome Don! Just remind the week before that weekend, and we can leave you a couple of tickets at Willcall.
Kev
Outstanding opening day at Faire today! Great weather, good crowds, and our employee/friend William Hurt is a dynamo in the booth! What a great and funny and energetic sales person!
Sales were great and fun was had by all!
Tomorrow should be just as good, since, like NY, we ain't in the Bible Belt...lol!
Kev
Lost Dutchman.... GPAA??
Lost Dutchman State Park AZ.
Ah, okay, cool.
Kevin, ever do gold panning sluicing?
If you have never been to a Renne Faire, be prepared for shameless display of body parts. Nothing obscene or porno, but a few people will make you do some double takes. I've, also, seen some guys wearing kilts that either didn't know how to properly sit in them or else was just showing off. Usually they are visitors, not the cast members. I went to visit Kevin and Patti in Oklahoma a couple of years ago and had a blast. Great place to spend a day.
Dan
I did security for a RenFaire in Upstate NY and I can attest to what Dan is saying is SO TRUE... I actually met one of my GF's from years ago there. And yeah, I liked her "Outfit".. And folks wondered why I was such a Zena fan.. Pff.. :D
Mary and I are old Faire Fans and went often in the late 70's. My BIL worked security. Good times.
All of the faires we currently do are PG-13...lol! Texas Renaissance Festival, which we don't do anymore, is pretty ribald sometimes. Fun for us guys, and some of the more saucy ladies, but not so much for the kiddies.
Today went very well! Not nearly as busy as yesterday, but very good for opening weekend Sunday!
This was probably our best opening weekend here yet.
Tomorrow I have to drive about 60 miles first thing to pick up just about every part we need for our 85 K5 Blazer for close to free! There is a guy on the ChevyK5Blazer forum who bought a '90 K5 to use for upgrade parts on his awesome and pristine 78 Blazer, and has a whole lot of parts left over he's just going to scrap next week...SWEET! Most of the parts are already removed, so its just a matter of driving there and picking them up and paying him whatever small amount he wants.
Then I have to hit some pawn shops and whatnot and try to find some good deals on tools we need for production before we buy things at full price at Lowes or Home Depot, and then for the rest of the week we'll be building enough catapults for the upcoming 3 day weekend!
I'll probably take Tuesday to install the new parts on our K5.
Glad I built a LOT of parts in North Carolina this last fall!
Kev
You already go to the parts Blazer? I need a seat belt latch for the drivers seat belt. Blue is a bonus..... The latch bolts to the floor and is where the button is to release the seatbelt.
If I'd known that I would have grabbed the one from my friends here before he scrapped it..
I'll take that as a no on the gold question.. N:(
No on the gold panning, although Patti loves the idea...lol!
Interior on the K5 was tan. Going back next week to pick up the topper and brand new spare tire.
Sockalaminski from the ChevyK5Forum was AWESOME and not only sold me the parts cheap, he helped me install them and align everything!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/qLVjQFwSIE0cQyj7iKMVGILFPhMRV3UX_-ozAHSWJ-4=s979)
It was an all day affair and I got up early and did all the final work today...took until about noon.
Looks SO much better, and saved us a ton on final body work!
The rest of the week, its catapults!
Kev
Tan will work. Which is something the one we have doesn't do.
I'll see if he still has it when I go up there next week.
Today, its inventory all the parts and see what else we need to fabricate for this week's build on the catapults. Already picked up a sander, which I think is all we need for this week, but we'll see.
My workers will be here at 10am, so I'm going to enjoy my coffee until they get here.
Kev
Any word from Moryde?
Funny, I been wondering the same thing. Especially after reading the 85 holiday rambler aluma-lite presidential 28 post
No word from MorRyde at all...but I haven't had the time or gumption to call them yet either.
However, that gentleman from the K5 site, Sockalaminski, is an ACE welder and fabricator, and worst case scenario I'm sure he can weld up and reinforce the boxes for me in short order on the cheap. I'll ask him about it when we go up there next week for the topper and spare tire.
We got a lot of parts sanded today, then I went out and got a drill press at Harbor Freight so we can drill holes tomorrow...and I was horrified at the quality of the press once I assembled it! I mean, its Harbor Freight, so expect crappy Chinese quality...but I've bought drill presses from them before and this one was even worse! The stop for the depth setting is flexible plastic! what in the world? We'll use it tomorrow, carefully, then I'm returning the crappy thing tomorrow afternoon. I'll buy a better one after the weekend...had real good luck with the Skill brand, although most of their tools suck.
Anyhow, lots got done today, and I'm calling it a night and going to watch to boob tube with the wifey. T bones for dinner with mashed taters!
Kev
Thanks Kevin.
No problem man. I already paid him a fair price for any part I want...spare tire is extra since its brand new...so the seat belt latch won't cost me or you a dime more. Just the shipping to your place.
Kev
We got all the catapults we need done for the 3 day weekend coming up, and I even had time to work on the K5 a bit. Got the fan shroud in place, mounted the compressor for the air horns and wired it up, only to find that the wire for the horn button wasn't even in the column...so I'll have to address that sometime next week. And I finished the hood latch and bumpers alignment so the hood now sits level, even side to side, and contacts the bumpers so it doesn't bounce. I also adjusted the driver's door catch enough so that it opens and closes now without scraping on the catch, but both sides are all worn out so I pick up new ones next week.
Which gives me tomorrow off! Broke as a joke, but its a day off before the 3 day weekend...lol! Burgers on the grill tonight, and tomorrow I'll take some pics of the K5, upload them to Photobucket, and link them here. Looks so much better already!
Kev
Might not be the latch that is the problem. The hinge pins might be worn out. My '99 Suburban scrapes when it closes. I tried readjusting just like you did but my son (who used to work at a car dealer) showed me how to grab the door on the top and bottom and try lifting up. You can see how much slop there is in the hinge. Mine had quite a bit on the driver side but none at all on the passenger side. Think how many times that door has been opened and shut.
Dan
Actually, the bushings in the hinge pins. Nearly all the square bodies and prior has the problem. The fix is simple but not easy.
That bushing is a GM thing. My '83 and '95 'burbs, S-Blazer and Safari have all had them replaced. Its not hard, you just need an extra set of hands or a jack to hold the door up when you pull the hinge pin to replace the bushing.
Anyone else re-bushed hinges on a AMC Pacer?? Huge doors!! Love them fish bowls....
I got lucky with the hinge pins in the doors we pulled off the 90...we pulled them hinges and all. Nice and tight with no play. Its definitely the catch bolts that come out of the door jam. On the driver's side the nylon bushings are gone altogether, and there is a deep groove worn in the top of the metal part. Nylon is still there on the passenger side, albeit cracked, but there is also an almost as deep groove worn into that one.
Today is pretty much a day off! I surprised Patti this morning with a box of Valentines candy and a card. The rest of our day is pretty much free. Just have to bring the catapults to our booth and set up for the weekend, and go get marshmallows.
Kev
And as promised, some pictures of S.T.E.E.V., our 85 K5 Blazer, after its nose job. Now instead of major body work, its all minor now. And now instead of looking like a piece of junk, its looking like a work in progress! Its going to look even better next week when I put the "new" topper on!
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture261_zpsc9a458ed.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture262_zps9d98da9b.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture263_zps02dd696a.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture264_zps603cf5e3.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture265_zpsa91ba011.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture266_zps99bbd96a.jpg)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture267_zps7a859111.jpg)
Enjoy the pics folks!
Kev
Are you getting another "Stock" topper or are you going with one of those cool looking toppers that makes the K5 look like a HMMV?
Or maybe go this route?? http://www.adpost.com/us/vehicles/975591/ :D
Or maybe this??
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/opuntina/edit1.jpg)
We have a soft top conversion for our 91. Got it from Best Top.
I was thinking a soft top from Softopper.com, but Patti's against the idea. The one we are getting is just stock, but in like new condition and already smoothed out (they were textured from the factory and looked crappy). Big improvement over ours, which has cracks and chips and screw holes in it, and scratched window tint.
Kev
Tell Patti you've been nominated as Admiral of the "Aluma-Lite" Fleet and that an Admiral should have a softcover so as to be able to open it and stand up to address the rest of the Fleet Commanders..
LOL Frederic! I'm still trying to convince her. The Softopper is 350 lbs lighter...that's my angle right now. Hers is that her hair will blow all over. I'm like, we'll keep the top up when you are in the truck with the AC on. She's not convinced yet...lol! Anyways, the new topper is no extra money out of pocket except the gas to get there, so that will happen this coming week.
Three day weekend coming up with lots of stock and great weather predicted...time to make some money!
Kev
Ahh well, was worth a shot.. :D
Kevin, my wifes hair is very long and she puts her's in in ponytail. And there is nothing wrong with running the AC with the top down.......
LOL! Its when the wind whips her ponytail into her face that she gave the the stinkeye all the time in the Jeep.
Great day at the faire today, with two more to go! Gotta get materials and tools on Tuesday, as well as make the trip to get the topper and spare tire...so its going to be a BUSY Tuesday, and super busy the rest of the week!
Kev
Holy crap! The hot weather brought in droves of people, and we pretty much doubled what we made yesterday! One more day to go. Glad we still have lots of stock! Gonna be a LOT of catapults we have to build this coming week!
Kev
Oh yeah. To make life even more interesting, Karli has been in heat for almost the last 2 weeks. Now she gets to wear "pretty pants"! We made and make a big deal of them, and she's actually pretty proud of them now! Only SHE gets to wear the pretty pants! LMFAO!!!
They double as a chastity belt, as well as keeping our carpets and bedding clean.
We don't want to breed our pups, but we are determined to not spay or neuter them until they are at least 2 years old, and probably closer to 3.
The latest research shows that dogs neutered and spayed before 2 years old have THREE times the chance of getting hip displatia, and a 60% higher chance of bone and other cancers when they reach their elderly years. And Sheps already have a high incidence of hip displatia.
No way no how until they are at least 2, and probably more like 3.
So until then, twice a year she gets to strut her stuff in her pretty pants.
Funny thing happened a couple of days ago though...Paladin, who is definitely getting old enough to be interested in interesting smells, got a hold of my wallet and had a whole bunch of dollar bills spread all over the house. The running joke was that he was trying to get Karli to remove the pretty pants...lmao!
Kev
HAHAHAHA!1 Kevin gets to be the "DADDY" Police!!!
Another amazing and profitable day at faire today! This has been an awesome 2nd weekend, our best ever at this faire, and we are definitely back in the black after vacation, even with the expenses of retooling the workshop, paying next year's faire fees for NC, and everything else we got behind on. SWEET!!!
Gonna be busy as heck this week with no days off, but its all good. Not a bad problem to have at all!
Kev
Wow, Nice!
Gotta get an early start. Going to leave here to pick up the topper and spare tire at 9am so I won't hit the Phoenix rush hour traffic. Once I get that done, its off to various pawn shops to look for good bargains on good tools, then Home Depot and Lowes to get tools I couldn't find on the cheap, then the pet supply place for dog food, and then Harbor Fright for the car port and another saw horse.
If I get back early enough I'll set up the workshop so we can get an early start tomorrow.
Kev
Dunt forget my seatbelt latch kind sir please.
So I take it No Admirals speech from inside a soft top?? :(
Front seat belts were already sold and gone...sorry!
Kev
Got up to my friend Mel's place fairly early today (awesome new friend I met on the ChevyK5Forum), and he and his son helped me switch the toppers. Way lighter than any of us thought it would be! I guess the 80s toppers are considerably lighter than the full toppers from the 70s. There goes that angle to convince the wife to get a soft top...lol!
Loaded up the new spare tire, then hit a whole bunch of pawn shops looking for tools. OMG are they overpriced at pawn shops in the Phoenix area! Any of the woodworking tools I needed were almost as expensive used as getting them new with a warranty at Home Depot and Lowes!
So after the pawn shop fiasco, I drove down to the pet supply place for dog food, then over to Harbor Freight for a carport to use as a workshop, and picked up a few tools I need there like a small compressor and hose for my nail guns. Then off to Home Depot where I picked up a whole bunch of reliable Ryobi tools...good for the price anyways. 800 bucks poorer I stopped by the beer store to console myself this evening...lol!
Tomorrow morning early I need to run back to Home Depot for a router table, then to Lowes for some wood, then get back to camp by 10am to start setting up the workshop with my workers so we can get these catapults built this week.
Not going to be any time this week to do any more work to the K5 or the RV, but dang the Blazer is starting to look a lot better! The new topper is in almost like new condition compared to the old one. Wifey is very happy with how it looks and how clean it looks inside. I removed the lap belts from the topper when I got home since we don't have a back seat anymore. Had to make room for 3 German Shepherds!
Spare tire takes up a LOT of room in the back though...really going to have to get an external spare tire carrier before we leave this show.
Funny thing about working at Renaissance Faires for a living. When you have the money, you don't have any time...and when you have the time, you don't have any money...lol!
If I have time I'll try to post a few pics before the end of the week of the new topper inside and out.
Kev
Quote
Funny thing about working at Renaissance Faires for a living. When you have the money, you don't have any time...and when you have the time, you don't have any money...lol!
I think that is life in general not just faires
I agree on the time vs. money!!
Pawn shops are a rip from what I've seen (gun prices???)...but you have to remember....The price tag is just the "asking" price.... :D N:(
I frequent pawn shops for guns and buy most of what I have from them.
If you didnt know, the tag price is AT LEAST double what they have in it.
So, start at splitting the difference or slightly less. Pay no more than 75% of asking regardless.
Workshop is all set up, and a whole bunch of catapults were built start to finish. Going to be a busy next couple of days, but we'll get it done before the weekend...like we always do!
And now, a gratuitous topless picture!
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gc_-Qa3XE2ojMw8wM8FdDzvaD5QJHz8uOPs26M2Sxi8=s979)
Kev
OOH! TRUCK PORN!! ??? :D
<Cliche Club Music Playing In Background>
WOO WOO, YEAH BLAZER!!
Kevin, this is a family site dude.
LMAO!!!
Time to fire up the saws and wake the hippies!
Kev
Huge run of catapults built and stained today, a whole bunch more almost done, and prep work done on a whole bunch more for tomorrow. It'll get done as it always does. We gots good at dis stuff now!
Kev
Ready to go outside and start the load up. First stop is Mesa at Queens Pizza for lunch, then on to The Lost Dutchman SP.
See ya tomorrow Kev and Patti. Blue skies!!!
Just go to the Will Call window, and tickets will be waiting for you. We are way near the back by the petting zoo and the Merriment Stage. Just look for the field of Marshmallows!
Kev
All the little catapults got built today, but at the eleventh hour, the Harbor Crap sander caught fire! So there will be no Trebuchets or handheld ballistae on the table this weekend. They are almost built, but can't finish them without a sander, and it was too late to go out and get a new one!
Kev
Kevin, you just work to fast. It couldn't keep up with you :)
LOL! I've had good luck with their sanders in the past, but this one bit the sawdust in just a week of heavy usage. Cheap chinese crap! Unfortunately no American companies make a portable benchtop belt sander any more. I'll bring it back on Monday and get another one, and also pick up a Ryobi or Porter Cable one while I'm at it for the heavy sanding.
Booth is all set up, loaded with marshmallows and catapults, and it should be an amazing weekend!
Kev
Mmm, Marshmallows.........
Briefly met Don and Mary, but we were so busy I couldn't talk much. Was hoping they'd come back towards the end of the day when things died down, but it was not to be. Sorry I couldn't talk more with you guys!
SUPER busy, lots of catapults were sold, and fun was had by all!
Another busy day tomorrow anticipated, then a VERY busy week coming up. Gotta build enough stock for next weekend, AND 2 student days following that weekend...AND prep out enough so that our abbreviated work week that week doesn't put us behind for the following weekend! Logistics logistics logistics!
We will win this battle...lol!
Kev
Another super busy day...SWEET!
Tomorrow I have to go get a planer, return the sander and get another one, get a better sander for heavy stuff, another drill press, more tables, another chair, a band saw or scroll saw...either works for what we do...a plastic shelving unit and lots of small cheap plastic shoebox bins, and of course wood to make the catapults with! Then get back and set it all up.
The rest of whats left of the day is off.
Then Tuesday plane, tablesaw, and chop out all the parts we need...and then get to take the rest of that day off.
The rest of the week is building catapults with the boys and getting it all done!
I might have time to work on the K5 Monday and Tuesday. I'd at least like to put in new door striker posts and replace the passenger side broken mirror glass if time allows, but we'll see!
And we have to make time for the pups while all this is going on...lol!
Kev
Thanks for the topless pic. I told my wife to look at a topless pic and she asked why is there a topless pic on a camper website :)rotflmao. So I showed her :D. I see the new top behind the blazer. Can't wait to see it all put together!!
Great to meet Kevin and Patti!! Thanks Kev for the tix too.
We were going to swing back by your shop but the old bones were talking to us and we headed on home. Had a great time, the faires have grown up since the 70's, much bigger and more organized.
Our camp was awesome and we will be going back for an event at the Superstition Museum in April.
Nice! Glad you had a great time, Don and Mary!
Kev
2 long days getting stuff for the workshop, setting it all up, and then cutting out tons of parts.
Sad news for our friend Will that works for us though...his grandma died and he has to fly home for the funeral. We'll miss him this week, and not just because he's a skilled worker. He's an awesome and funny fellow, and we enjoy his companionship.
He's going to ask his girlfriend to fill in for him in the workshop this week, but if she can't make it Patti already found a couple people willing to work.
Gonna be busy, and we sure are going to miss Will!
Kev
Going to steal a wee bit of your thread Kev. It is relevant being pics of AZ!
Our camp at Lost Dutchman SP
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/dondq/Da%20bus%20to%20Lost%20Dutchman/IMG_1071_zpsc5596317.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/dondq/Da%20bus%20to%20Lost%20Dutchman/IMG_1054_zps6dcecba1.jpg)
:)clap Ewwww :)ThmbUp Ahhh :)clap Wow ;) Cool
Great pics!
Dave
Kev
thought of you when I saw this!
http://www.viralnova.com/zombie-apocalyse-car/
Ooof dah!
Holy deep pockets!
Dear Santa,
I've been a pretty good boy this year. There is only 1 thing I want for Christmas..
Click the link above please.
Extra cookies will be waiting for you.
A very similar model line is made right here in Missouri. Here is a link:
http://globalxvehicles.com/vehicles/gxv-specialty-vehicles/ (http://globalxvehicles.com/vehicles/gxv-specialty-vehicles/)
Oh gosh. Dont let Kevin see those..
LOL! Already saw them, and what has been seen can't be unseen!
Super busy day, MANY parts built...and gonna be stupid busy for the next 2 days!
Kev
Kevin, I seem to recall you saying something about compromising between safety and ease of access to a pistol in case of fast need. Have you seen this?
http://www.thegunbox.com/product.php
Seen them and great idea if you have kids. since our furry kids don't have thumbs...well...lol!
HUGE amount of stock made...300+ Bandits and Twisters, 80 Mousetrap catapults (both desktop and pistol), 60 Torsion models (both desktop and pistol), 6 trebuchets, and 6 ballistae (3 of each).
Been a long week!
And now the weekend!
Hope the rain stays to the north of us!
Kev
Rained today, and every forecast said 100% chance of torrential rains. Rained heavy only once for about 20 minutes, but was mostly nice all day with just a couple of sprinkles here and there.
Gotta hand it to Arizonians though...they aren't afraid of the rain! Over 4000 folks came out today! Not our best day in AZ, but certainly our best rain day ever!
Tomorrow is supposed to perfect weather, so we should do awesome!
Kev
Not much smells better than the dessert after the rain!
Kev
Rain...We got 1.3 up here on the hill. (4000ft)
Another awesome day, perfect weather, lots of folks and sales, and fun was had by all!
Two student/school days coming up this week, so its going to be crazy busy!
Kev
Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on March 01, 2014, 11:17 PM
Not much smells better than the dessert after the rain!
Freshly Baked Cinnamon Rolls. ???
QuoteAnother awesome day, perfect weather, lots of folks and sales, and fun was had by all!
Another awesome day, 6" to 12" of snow, record setting low temps, shoveling the unending snow, and people stuck inside going crazy. $@!#@!
:'(
Dave
Ditto Dave.
LOL! I remember a long while back when southern Virginia got 2 whole inches of snow! They closed the freakin' bases except for essential personnel!
58+ accidents with just a light dusting of snow...lol!
Kev
Good weekend overall...4600+ folks on the rain day as a final count!
Spent my only "day off' running errands, picking up supplies, making a ramp for Barnabas who's arthritis was making it difficult for him to get in and out of the rig from playing too hard with the pups, and finished up around 4pm.
Yep...story of my life when a faire is going on...my "day off" starts at 4pm, and I usually only get one!
So remember that next time you feel envious of our off time vacations....lol! When a faire is going on, I'm easily putting in 90 hours a week.
Kev
Hello Kevin: when our dog was getting stiff we put him on Glucosamine and it really seemed to help him. He actually started running and can hop into the truck by himself when we take him camping. Takes a week or so to notice any real improvements but the effects seem to last quite awhile. Glad to hear you are keeping busy and hopefully out of trouble. I would say don't work to hard but I think that is impossible for you and Patti. Give the kids a good scratch for me. Joan
Thanks Joan! We give Barnabas glucosamine and hyluronic acid, and lately the last couple of days an asprin 3 times a day. Seems to be working and he's feeling much better.
Kev
First kids day this week was awesome! Fun was had by all, and the money was good.
Was running errands with Patti this afternoon which put us near our favorite gun shop.
Did I ever mention before how awesome my wife is and how much I love her, and that's she's the perfect wife?...LMAO!!!
There was an awesome Ruger Mini 30 at great price, and while I drooled over it, i walked away. And she broke out 300 bucks as a deposit!
She wants me to pick it up this Friday!
Mini 30 with a Butler Creek folding stock and a 30 round mag. SWEET!
Zombies beware!
Kev
i hate you.
J/K. :D
LOL!
Awesome gun though...and she wants to go to the range with me on Friday after picking it up to shoot it! She gets the first shots! Also going to try out our Ruger LCR snubby revolvers.
Kev
Sweet. Looking forward to the report on that.. :)
Last student day. We survived!
And Patti had me go pick up the Mini 30! Awesome gun with obviously a low round count, if the thing was even fired at all!
Gun shop owner threw in 3 boxes of ammo, so if we go to the range tomorrow, we'll see how well she shoots!
Found a local theater that is still playing the second part of the Hobbit for 1 buck! That is our first priority!
Kev
Didn't get to the range today, but the Hobbit 2 was awesome! Ordered 6 Ruger brand 20 round magazines from Brownell's this morning, so we'll be ready for the zombie apocalypse...lol!
We'll try to make the shooting range on Monday...we'll see how busy we get.
Kev
Hey Kev, the way things are going, forget Zombies(Political or undead).....
Think Red Dawn. (The better Patrick Swayze version)
Kev Better check on the aspirin thats a strong dose. Aspirin life is pretty long and strongest 6 hrs after ingesting You did not say what strenth and wether coated or not . Frank
Good point Frank. Its the Children's Joseph dose.
He likes the cherry flavor...lol!
And Frederic, seriously? Wasn't Stripper an 80s Hair Band Christian band? LMAO!!!
Super busy day! Great fun was had by all, and financially it was awesome!
One more day to go this weekend! Hope I can find time for the range. Really gotta shoot the new guns!
Kev
Don't ask.... :-[ $@!#@!
The band was Styper, yes they were a Christian metal, hair band. It was funny I saw them when they opened for Mötley Crüe here in the 'Burgh. That was a weird combination.
Mark is on the beach laughing his $%^&& off. He was a bit deranged yesterday :)rotflmao
Yeah but he dint change your name I noticed.......
You must have something on him........ ;)
LOL - You were not here for the event. Ask poor ben2 about what he suffered through :)
Amazing overall weekend! Might even hit the range briefly tomorrow to see how this cheap ammo fires through the new Mini 30 before buying a bunch of it.
Kev
Okay, so no range time...got too busy!
First thing Monday morning I drove down to O'Reilly's and borrowed spring compressors, then paid my friend Gabe to remove the Mor/Ryde spring boxes while I then went out and got materials and ran a whole bunch of other errands.
He had the spring boxes off by the time I came back, so I spent some time cutting stuff out and whatnot for this week's enormous catapult run.
This morning I drove down to O'Reilly's and got my deposit back on the spring compressors, then ran some more errands, including dropping off the spring boxes at a local welder/fabrication shop who is going to repair them for me this week.
The errands took me down a road I'd never been on before...
SCORE!!! On said road I found a Truck and Van wrecking yard! I crawled through all the carcasses to look at bucket seats, and finally settled on the Eddie Bauer seats from a Ford Expedition! Tan leather, in great condition, power for every direction, and they are even heated!
200 bucks out the door! Power rails and wiring and all!
Of course, I spent the rest of the day fabricating mounts and modifying existing mounts so I could mount it flat to the flat Chevy K5 Blazer floor...the Expeditions have weird channels on the floor, so it was definitely a challenge creatively. I'll have to use spacers to get the seats level, but they are going to be SWEET!
If I get an early enough start tomorrow, I might even have time to mount them this week and wire them in!
I have to build a LOT of catapults though, so we'll see how much I can get done on them. Otherwise the install will have to wait until next Monday.
The seats are prepped and ready to install, but I still have to run the wiring, then mock fit them in place, mark where the holes get drilled, take them out, drill the holes, then install them with spacers to make them level on the flat Chevy K5 floor.
I'll take pictures when I'm done and post them soon!
Kev
Cool, looking forward to seeing them. Provide some details on what you did if you could also as this might also be an option for a RV too.
Just out of curiosity, how many catapults do you go through on a good weekend? I still have the one you gave me proudly displayed on my bookshelf.
Depends on the faire and how busy it is. Small faire like Muskogee we might go through a hundred or so...big faire like Arizona, 300+
Kev
I got a very early start this morning. To keep the bolts from coming through the floor, I went with big square thick washers, and 3 of the bolts actually went through the original reenforced part where the original bolts went through, then I siliconed up the old holes:
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture273_zps863dd6c1.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture273_zps863dd6c1.jpg.html)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture272_zpscd7cef94.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture272_zpscd7cef94.jpg.html)
The next picture is of one of the brackets I bent to the right angle to make the front mounts fit flat on the floor. I was still waiting for the silicone to set up completely before trimming it.
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture271_zps6494729a.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture271_zps6494729a.jpg.html)
Yep! Eddie Bauer leather seats! Pretty darn good condition!
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture270_zps76a73c6c.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture270_zps76a73c6c.jpg.html)
I ran the wires first of course...with an inline fuse...using 10 gauge wire for both 12 volts and ground. Got into the habit of always using 10 gauge when possible to avoid voltage drop. The driver's seat is fully powered in all kinds of directions! Passenger seat is only heated, but the backrest angle is at least adjustable. Also had to take the attached seatbelt latches off the seats before install. Lumbar support works on both seats, but I'll have to find a knob for the driver's seat, since it was missing:
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture268_zpsa44e5f4a.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture268_zpsa44e5f4a.jpg.html)
And a couple more gratuitous pictures:
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture276_zps3a6354f4.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture276_zps3a6354f4.jpg.html)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture274_zpsc02ab693.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture274_zpsc02ab693.jpg.html)
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/ClydesdaleKevin/Arizona%202014/Picture269_zps0e327bb8.jpg) (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/media/Arizona%202014/Picture269_zps0e327bb8.jpg.html)
I finished up the install by 9:30 this morning, and then got to work with my workers on the catapults. Took a couple of trips into town in between, and MAN are these seats comfy! Patti loves them and can now see over the steering wheel!
I wish the seats in the RV were half as comfortable!
Kev
Nice.
Even has arm rests, cool.
If they had 2 armrests, I'd consider getting another pair for the RV, custom fab a higher pedestal for them, and make a skirt for the bottoms...they are SO comfy!
HUGE amount of catapults built today and stained, with tons of parts and more on the way to being finished for tomorrow. Lots more work tomorrow!
Kev
Patti took the truck out today to go grocery shopping, and loves the seats! Which means she now loves the truck and its a keeper...lol!
HUGE amount of catapults and ballistae done and stained today...should be an awesome weekend!
Kev
Did you get a catalog from LMC? If not, you need one, although I think you can find everything online. It's just having the paper one makes you want more things.
I downloaded the online LMC catalog...lots of goodies on the want list!
CRAZY busy day at faire today, and super busy sales! Gonna be just as busy tomorrow we hope! Not being in the Bible Belt has its advantages. Sundays tend to be as busy as Saturdays...lol!
Kev
AWESOME day at faire today...and holy crap were we busy! I think this was our best weekend ever in Arizona!
Gonna unwind with a little bourbon, and tomorrow, come heck or high water, I'm going to the range! I really want to try out the Mini 30, and its pretty important to fire the LCRs to get used to their kick some more.
I'll probably wait until Muskogee to sight in the scope on the Ruger M77 30/06, and the scope on the Ruger 6" Security Six revolver...its not a policed range, so its easier to scope things in there.
Gotta hit the store before drinking anything, then I'm calling it a night!
Kev
Finally made it to the range today with my wife Patti, and we had a blast! No pun intended!
First we fired our new Ruger LCR revolvers to get a feel for them some more. Mine kicks like a beast in .357 Magnum, but not as much as you'd think. Felt recoil was very similar to the snubby Police Service Six I traded in on it. Patti's .38 LCR was fun to shoot! Both very accurate at 10 yards. I also tried out the silly little Cobra .38 derringer Patti bought me last year. Kicks like crazy, but I think I could hit a man size target at 10 feet...LMAO!!!
Then we broke out the Mini 30. What a fun gun to shoot! Once Patti got over her nervousness about it, she loved it! She has rheumetoid arthritis, so holding it up...its pretty heavy in the front...was hard for her. Once I set up a bench rest for her, I could hardly get my turn...lol!
Shoots way to the left and I forgot my screwdrivers to adjust the sights, but it was fun anyways!
A note on today's adventure though: Rugers definitely don't like berdan primers...we shot 300 rounds, and averaged 18 out of 100 FTFs (Failure to Fires). Not enough spring behind the mini firing pin to get those primers to go boom. Gonna have to stick with brass casings and boxer primers once I use up what I have left at the range.
And the aftermarket Promag 30 rounder magazine sucks arse! Jammed on almost every single shot. Not a single problem at all with any of the Ruger brand 20 rounders.
And either I didn't inspect the gun closely enough and it was way dirtier to begin with than I thought, or else that Red Army ammo powder is VERY dirty! Took no time at all to clean up the handguns after the range. Just cleaning up the bore on the mini took every last cleaning patch I had...a whole mountain of them...and I had to make some more from an old shirt just to get the bore clean enough!
Gonna have to order a book on complete teardown of the Mini for a better cleaning, but it looks way better than when I got it even.
Fun was had by all! It was a great range day, and Patti had so much fun!
Kev
Mor/Ryde spring boxes were finished today, all welded up and ubber reenforced. Shock mounts were lowered 3" to stop this from ever happening again with the strong Monroe RV Gas Magnum shocks...super strong shock mounts.
My mechanic friend is going to install them this coming Monday. SWEET!
Kev
I use a boresnake, nicer than a rod. and I have a specific one that is all cloth and re-useable.
Been thinking about a bore snake...but then, how do you clean the bore snake?...lol!
Kev
Huge amount of catapult prep work done today...and then this afternoon I had to run out and leave my workers to it to run some errands. Any idea how hard it is to find peat moss in Arizona? Geesh! Finally found a bale at an Ace hardware store.
Even managed to find time to get the right size bolts and fender washers to finally secure the topper completely on the K5. Almost all the rattles are gone now!
Tomorrow...its more insane catapult building!
Kev
So you should be set for the year, right??
LOL! I leave a stash of peat moss at each show after bagging up what I think I need to make it to the next one. 3 weeks we've discovered is the ideal change out time for us, so I undercalculated and ran out.
Kev
We will never have to buy any more again. Our daughters fiance has a farm north of here covered in peat moss. About 600 acres worth ranging from 6 inches to three feet deep. He sells it to drilling companies for spills and are gearing up to supply the landscapers.
Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on March 19, 2014, 09:39 PM
how do you clean the bore snake?...lol!
Funny you should ask.. :D
http://youtu.be/Y_ypgp0ArXU
Hoppes makes one, on their site they say machine washable. Don't. On the back of the package it says hand wash. Guy in the VID hand washes with regular Laundry Detergent.
I make my own out of 550 paracord and use patches on the brush. Works good enough for me.. :)
Good to know!
Actually decided to use paracord to build up the cheek rest on the Butler Creek folding stock on the Mini and make it more comfortable and consistent.
HUGE amount done today, and a HUGE amount of catapults already sitting ready to go on the stain rack.
Same tomorrow, with a lot of big machines...13 total!
Kev
INSANE amount of catapults built this week! 8 Ballistae, 5 Trebuchets, 160 mousetrap catapults, 100 Bandit catapults, and 50 Twister catapults...oi vey!
And I still had time to mount the new XS White Dot Tritium sight on my .357 Ruger LCR revolver, and the Crimson Trace laser grip on Patti's .38 LCR revolver. SWEET!
Also had time to pick up the supplies needed for my mechanic to reinstall the spring boxes on Monday...and make arrangements for a local trusted shop to install the AC on the K5 Blazer.
Its all coming together, although the logistics is a nightmare!
Kev
We had an AWESOME day at Faire today, and anticipate another awesome day tomorrow.
Monday morning we are bringing the K5 into a local trusted shop to have the AC installed and fixed completely. I already have the compressor, the hoses, and the metal can thingy, whatever its called. They are going to install them, the new brackets, a new condenser, a new evaporator, the right orifice for R134A, the good blower switch I got from my friend Mel, and get it all working again for a quote of 600 bucks. I'd say that's a good price all in all! Gotta have AC at our next stop, which is Muskogee, OK. It gets DANG hot and humid there!
Kev
Muskogee Oklahoma, where even squares can have a ball
Awesome day at Faire today, and met up with our friends Mel and Lisa and took them out to dinner after faire.
Tomorrow the AC gets fixed in the K5!
Kev
850.00 bucks and ALL DAY at the shop later, S.T.E.E.V. now has ice cold AC, and the heater and blower work! Complete conversion to 134A.
The shop is still trying to round up the last 2 small support brackets for the compressor...it works the way it is, but they tell me that if I don't put those last two brackets in, the vibrations will chew up the belts in no time. They installed the donor switch cluster out of my friend Mel's 90 donor, and it works great!
Also have to replace one of the missing duct hoses that goes to the lower left AC vent on the driver's side, since its missing, but I can do that later when I have time.
Actually ended up being what I thought was a fair price considering they had to run ALL new wires in the engine bay, and track down the correct wires for the switch cluster. That price included all the new parts I didn't have (all I had was the switch cluster, the compressor, the hoses, and the dryer canister thingy), and all the labor. And they didn't charge me for 3 hours of that labor. The shop is called K&W, and they are located in Apache Junction, AZ. Awesome folks! They are starting to specialize more and more in classic cars, hot rods, and 4X4s and lifts. The owner Kurt is a Chevy guy all the way. As of now, every last part of the AC system is brand new.
Anyhow, I did notice an unusual almost burny smell when trying out the AC on the way home...and my volt meter with the blower on drops quite a bit...so while I'm running errands tomorrow I'll be dropping by the shop again first thing in the morning for them to check out the smell, and make sure nothing is shorting out and whatnot.
Another thing they told me was that the idiot who owned my K5 before me put the pitman arm on wrong! Which is why it turns just fine in one direction, but not nearly enough in the other. They are going to put in on right for me at no charge when they install the rest of the bracketry, also at no charge except the cost of the brackets.
That should make it easier in tight parking lots!
While all of this was going on, my buddy Gabe reinstalled the spring boxes on the Holiday Rambler and got it all ready to go. Patti paid him for the work, and we gave him the special spring compressors I had to buy as a bonus, since I'll never have to use them again...hopefully!
All in all a very productive day and a lot got done! I ended up waiting at the shop all day since the guy who was supposed to follow me and bring me home and back was a no show, but it ended up being fun anyways. The guys at the shop are great, and I spent most of the day playing with the shop owner's young German Shepherd dog named Darko! Super awesome friendly GSD who loves to play!
Kev
Great news Kev! :)clap They have an A- BBB too!!
kevin if you can't locate the brackets let me know, I have boxes full of brackets for the 80's gm. I deal on 80's Monte Carlo's and the motor brackets are the same, just let me know what you need
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/chicknnhead/MISC/accessiories_zpsa3c6f0b8.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/chicknnhead/media/MISC/accessiories_zpsa3c6f0b8.jpg.html)
this pic is with them all bolted up but objects removed
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/chicknnhead/MISC/brackets_zpsb374730a.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/chicknnhead/media/MISC/brackets_zpsb374730a.jpg.html)
To do it right you need A, B, G, H and J
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/chicknnhead/MISC/engineav_zps03c7da32.jpg) (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/chicknnhead/media/MISC/engineav_zps03c7da32.jpg.html)
Success!!! And another long day of working on the K5 when I probably should have been doing other stuff...lol!
So I got up really early and got to K&W Automotive at 7:30am. The "smell" I was smelling, and the reason for my lack of power after the AC install, was that the mechanic had accidently knocked a spark plug wire out of a loom, and it melted to the exhaust manifold, resulting in unburned gas from the exhaust...but it was fortunate it happened, since the smell clued the main mechanic Mick that my Edlebrock carb was set WAY too lean! He adjusted the carb for me, replaced the spark plug wire, and that part was a done deal.
He then looked at my pitman arm, and took back what he said about it being in the wrong position...since its 4x4...he was thinking 2 wheel drive. He did immediately identify the problem though! Whoever did the lift didn't replace the steering arm with one for a lift, so it binds when turning to the left! Gonna have to get me the correct steering arm when I have the time.
Then we discussed the voltage drop I was getting on my dash gauge when I turn the AC on. And we both decided it was probably the blower motor going bad and drawing too many amps, since it squeeled like heck when we finally got it going again, and then wasn't blowing very forcefully.
They didn't charge me for any of this, so I reached for my wallet to give Mick a 20 dollar tip...and realized I left my wallet at home!
Back to the camp I drove, and then picked up my wallet. I decided to test voltage at the battery with my Fluke when I got home, and it was fine at the battery...13.8 at idle, with or without the AC on, so maybe it was just a bad ground somewhere?
Regardless, I drove back out to get a blower motor...in for a penny, in for a pound...and on the way to Autozone I decided to stop at a junkyard I'd never stopped at before just in case...and Voila!!!
I got super lucky and found the other 2 small brackets at the junk yard! One is a tiny 3 bolt hole bracket with a loop on top that mounts to the front of the intake manifold and then to the main AC inner bracket with a nut and bolt, and the other is a rod that goes from the top of the main AC brackets to another bolt on the side of the manifold. Wasn't cheap though...the junkyard charged me 20 bucks for those 2 little brackets!
Anyhow, first stop after that was Autozone for the blower motor...15 bucks, not bad!...Then back to K&W...and they were SWAMPED!!! But they are so cool! "Hey Kev...just park it in the shade there and you can use our tools if you want to get it done right away..." SWEET!
With good tools available, the two brackets went right in (got lucky and they were working on an El Camino with the same engine and AC, so I was able to use that truck as a visual reference for how my brackets are supposed to go in...lol!), as did the new blower motor.
Started it up, and MAN does the new blower blow that ice cold air now! Still had the voltage drop issue though...hmmmm...
Figured I'd just go home and get some other stuff done, but when I told my wifey about the adventures, she told me to go back out and get the alternator and battery checked just in case.
So back to Autozone, where the battery and alternator tested good...but then I had a horrifying thought...what if the amperage was too low on the alternator and it was the one for the non-AC model? Autozone gave me a box of wrenches to use, and out came the alternator and into their bench tester it went. Tested perfect, and it was indeed the higher amp unit.
Noticed the alternator connections were crusty though, so right in their parking lot I replaced the terminals and reinstalled the alternator with good terminals. The battery positive terminal snapped when I was tightening it, so back in I went, got another, and installed that as well.
Started the truck, and noticed the volt meter reading higher than 13 volts, but still dropping to around 10 volts visually with the AC on...but with my Fluke still reading 13.8-13.9 at the battery.
So at this point I'm thinking a bad ground at the blower motor. I'll clean them up in the morning and see if that makes an improvement....otherwise I'll just keep cleaning up every ground I find as this project continues.
Now is when I made a mistake in judgement, and since I didn't have to buy a new battery and alternator, I figured I'd go ahead and finally replace the broken glass on the passenger side mirror. 8.99 for the glass that was supposed to fit my OEM fixture...yeah right! It was way too big to fit inside the metal frame, and chipped when I tried to force it. No problem, says the folks at Autozone! We have the whole shebang in stock for 19 bucks! They gave me back my money for the mirror glass, and I bought the aftermarket version.
And the aftermarket version was a piece of crap! Dimensionally its similar, but not nearly as well made, the metal on the frame is super thin, the cover for the body mount is plastic for god's sake, and more importantly, the tubular riser part that connects the mirror head to the body mount was 2 whole inches shorter than the OEM version, which placed the mirror way too low!
Solution, as there always is...even though it took me a while to figure it out. I used most of the parts off the OEM version when all was said and done, except the mirror head. Which I managed to pull off of the aftermarket riser and force onto the OEM riser without breaking it.
It looks okay, but I'm keeping the OEM head. I'm going to have them both sandblasted eventually, and paint them black, and then I'll just take the OEM mirror head to a glass shop and have THEM install the new mirror. Until then this ones good enough and at least its not broken!
Last stop of the day was K&W again for a SWEET trade the owner Kurt wanted to make with me! He had a complete dash bezel out of a who knows what square body...and its no shite wood inlay! Not just wood colored plastic, but real wood bonded to the plastic! And its complete and unmolested, except that someone spraypainted in black some years ago. I can sand all that paint off, refinish the wood, and its going to look awesome in our K5 with the fancy leather and wood interior Patti wants! All he wanted in exchange was our aluminum billet bezel cover that we were intending to get rid of anyways. AWESOME!!!
By the time I got home from all of this to relax, it was already 5pm.
Tomorrow I'm going to get up super early again, and try to get as many of the interior parts I got from my friend Mel installed in the K5 before my workers come in at 10am. I especially need to get the headliner and other fragile parts installed before they get here, since they are sitting in the workshop right now. Can't have them getting damaged!
Kev
Well, at least it was a short update.. ???
From your description it looks like you bought brackets A and H, from my posted picture, sucks they charged you so much
Another busy day on the Blazer. First I got a lot of prep work done for my workers, then installed almost all the interior stuff I got from Mel. New headliner, all the plastic trim, door panels, and even the crappy dash since Patti REALLY hated the camo ones. I'm still debating whether I should get a new one and paint it to match, or just cover this one for now and wait until I get up north to look for a good condition OEM dash. Ah hell...no matter which way I go, I gotta put a cover on this one! It looks like crap, but better than what was under the cammie!
The difference is pretty amazing though, and Patti likes it!
One thing I noticed replacing the dash was that all the duct work was missing for the AC/Heat vents. I'll be doing that little job before we leave for Oklahoma next week. I'll MAKE the time.
Even replaced the steering wheel with the one I got from Mel. The only things I didn't replace yet is the lower kick panels, since I have to modify them for the speakers, which I don't have time for now...and the center console, which Mel is going to ship to me.
So on the immediate SOON to do list is a dash cover, followed by a dash replacement if I can find a nice tan one in a junkyard in OK. If I can't find a nice one in OK junkyards, I'll probably just buy a new one from LMC and paint it to match. And the lower panels on the doors, which are still camo, since Mel didn't have those. And new carpets...mine are YUCK! Just in the front though...LMC only has complete carpet kits, so I have to find somewhere to just get the front carpet set.
The immediate burden is the dash though...DAMN its ugly and cracked...and Patti STILL likes it better than the camo...lmao!
Kev
So my buddy Mel gave me a call to let me know the console out of the 90 was in pretty bad shape, so at his suggestion I started looking for an alternative...and found the most awesome console made specifically for the K5! Its a Tuffy console...http://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-88-series-ii-security-console-12-12-wide.aspx. This is going to be perfect! Not cheap at 270 bucks...but I think its worth it. Not just for how good it looks...it will be a secure place to put my revolver if I have to run in someplace like a Post Office or whatnot. SWEET! I'll be ordering one when I get to my next stop, Muskogee, OK.
Kev
Nice..
Crazy long day building a HUGE amount of catapults. Great weather expected for this weekend, so our closing weekend here in AZ should be awesome!
Kev
Blue skies and big bux!! :)clap
;)Can you launch humans with those catapults? That sounds pretty fun into a lake. Am I a redneck?
LOL! I can make them that big on commission!
Going to be a great weekend, and then a hectic week packing everything down and sending everything off to Southern California with my workers to do that show, while Patti and I scramble to get out of here by Friday and on the road to Muskogee, OK for that faire.
As soon as we get to Muskogee, we'll have to quickly set up that workshop and get right back into production. We'll be building stock for both shows, and shipping them what they need on a weekly basis.
So. Cal ends on May 15th, so we'll be able to take a breather at that point! Oi Vey!
Kev
Oh O Growing pains expanding into two simutanious sites Good Luck . Hope you have some dependable people running things . Wishing you the best of luck Ya gotta make it wile you still have the strength to do it . Frank :)clap
Thanks Frank! I trust my guys totally to do a good job and make us lots of money.
Great day at faire today, and should be just as good tomorrow!
Then the crazy breakdown and packdown begins, and its off to Oklahoma!
At least the poor pups will be able to play there in a fenced in yard, and with fields to run in! Ordering electric training collars for them as soon as we leave here. They are SO bored with our schedule and no place for them to play! Today they tore down the passenger side visor in the RV, which I beat them profusely with...lol! I'm going to have to repair it before we leave and remount it so Patti won't have the sun in her eyes on the trip!
Kev
Kevin, we need more pictures of the kids. Haven't seen how big they have gotten. How is Barnabas doing with the young ones?
Barnabas has definitely maintained his alpha status, and the pups love him and respect him, which is a very good thing!
The pups are getting huge! Well, Paladin is! Karli is going to stay a very petite GSD...she'll be a year old in April and only weighs about 55 lbs, even though she eats like a horse. Paladin is only 7 months old and already weighs 78 lbs! He towers over Karli now!
I'll take and post some recent pictures when I can.
Gotta make some breakfast, costume up, and head over to the booth. Last day of the Arizona Renaissance Festival! I'm hoping its a good one!
Kev
He Kevin, check these collars out..
http://www.amazon.com/Dogwidgets%C2%AE-Rechargeable-Training-Individual-Vibration/dp/B00771WQIY/ref=sr_1_2/180-5708419-7839465?ie=UTF8&qid=1396200798&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+widgets+shock+collar (http://www.amazon.com/Dogwidgets%C2%AE-Rechargeable-Training-Individual-Vibration/dp/B00771WQIY/ref=sr_1_2/180-5708419-7839465?ie=UTF8&qid=1396200798&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+widgets+shock+collar)
I bought this set for both of our dogs and I loved them. I won't go too much into detail but essentially you get two collars, one remote for both collars w/individual controls for each collar, two levels of shock and one level of vibration. Also included in the kit are different prongs for different K9 sizes, shock test light bulbs and one plug in wall charger W/ one USB charger cable. First thing I did was order a second charger and cable so I could recharge both collars simultaneously.
The remote is pretty cool as it has two individual rows of buttons, one for each collar, and a center V button to vibrate both collars at once.
I have a 65 Lb Husky mix and a 85 Lb Dutch shepherd mix and I only ever had to use shock once on the dutch otherwise it's strictly vibrate. For some reason she hates that more than shock. The husky is a dog of another color. Shock had to be used more than once as vibrate fascinated him more than anything.
For the dutch, we needed it to control her barking and it worked now all we have to do is show her the collar or remote and she quiets down.
The husky was a runner whenever anyone came by house and he would try to run out of the house when home or run away while at camp. One press of the low shock setting paired with a verbal correction did the trick.
While the collars themselves aren't totally waterproof, this can be remedied by applying a small bead of silicone to the seam where the collar is glued together. After I did that we stopped worrying about forgetting to remove the collars when we would take them to the Sound for a swim and some ball chasing. :D
That's it in a nutshell..
Hmm, Hm? I think I will copy and paste this to product reviews...
Going to order those collars and the extra charger tomorrow. Hope they work as well as our old Dogtra collars!
Kev
Just ordered the collars and extra charger this morning. Hopefully they ship pretty quickly! We are leaving for Muskogee either tomorrow night, or more likely Thursday morning, and it would be awesome if they were waiting there for us!
Got the tent packed down and our site all cleaned up yesterday. After I finish my morning coffee, I've got to stage everything that is going with the boys to So.Cal then cut out some more parts for them...then I have to start breaking down the shop and cleaning all that up.
Gonna be busy!
Kev
Did I miss something.....did you get that rear suspension welded back up?
I thought he did, I think he posted it a while back..? I'll be buggered if I can't find it though..
I know right....I thought it was disassembled....then came the k5.....I doe no wha happin i??
Hey Kev take US 60 to New Mexico if you can...and if the brakes are good......and take pics along the way....that stretch of us 60 is amazing.....the Grades are kinda steep...k they are steep.
"
First thing Monday morning I drove down to O'Reilly's and borrowed spring compressors, then paid my friend Gabe to remove the Mor/Ryde spring boxes while I then went out and got materials and ran a whole bunch of other errands.
He had the spring boxes off by the time I came back, so I spent some time cutting stuff out and whatnot for this week's enormous catapult run."
"While all of this was going on, my buddy Gabe reinstalled the spring boxes on the Holiday Rambler and got it all ready to go. Patti paid him for the work, and we gave him the special spring compressors I had to buy as a bonus, since I'll never have to use them again...hopefully!"
Quote from: DonD on April 01, 2014, 09:39 PM
"
First thing Monday morning I drove down to O'Reilly's and borrowed spring compressors, then paid my friend Gabe to remove the Mor/Ryde spring boxes while I then went out and got materials and ran a whole bunch of other errands.
He had the spring boxes off by the time I came back, so I spent some time cutting stuff out and whatnot for this week's enormous catapult run."
"While all of this was going on, my buddy Gabe reinstalled the spring boxes on the Holiday Rambler and got it all ready to go. Patti paid him for the work, and we gave him the special spring compressors I had to buy as a bonus, since I'll never have to use them again...hopefully!"
like this
Yep! Spring boxes are all fixed and reinstalled. Gabe did a great job, as did the welding shop. Logistically I just didn't have time with everything else going on, so I gladly paid the welding shop 150 bucks to fix them, reenforce them, and drop the shock mount 3 inches lower. And I gladly paid Gabe 220 bucks for the job, plus the spring compressors.
It was a super busy productive day today I tell ya! Got everything staged to go with the boys to So.Cal, cut out all the rest of the parts and drilled and routered them, and then packed up all the tools they'll need into the U-Haul trailer we rented for them.
Then spent the rest of the day packing down the workshop and making a bunch of trips with the tools in the truck to stow it in a friend's booth, then cleaned up piles of sawdust and whatnot (9 big garbage bags), and even had time to load up the RV compartments. All that's left to do to hit the road is to load up the porch furniture and mats and whatnot into the Blazer, hook the Blazer to the RV tow bar and all that that entails, and we'll be off!
Still gonna wait until Thursday though. I have to have made 3 copies of the key to our friend's booth that he let us stow our stuff in, and give one to the office tomorrow. Also gotta troubleshoot why some of the lights in the RV don't work, but I'm guessing its a fuse from when the pups tore down the visor, since it has a hard wired lighted vanity mirror and its in the same area as the rest of the lights that aren't working. Another goal tomorrow is to get some flexible duct hose the right size and install it in the Blazer dash so the new AC actually blows out of the dash vents...lol!
Also have to bag up a bunch of peat moss bags and change out the compost in the toilet...Patti is going to take care of the bagging up process.
Another thing I have to do tomorrow is go down to the local vet and pick up Heartgard and Advantix for the pups and Barnabas. They had their last ones on the first of March, and they'll sure as heck need them in Muskogee! Not taking any chances in bug central!
So we'll definitely be out of here first thing Thursday morning. We plan on taking Highway 60 West to pick up I-17 North to Flagstaff, then taking I-40 East all the way to Muskogee. I-40 is a pretty easy ride without too many big climbs. I-17 has 2 HUGE climbs and elevation gains out of the valley, so if it gets too bad, we'll disco the Blazer and Patti will follow me the rest of the way to Flagstaff. We are travelling pretty light this trip though, so it should be fine just towing the Blazer.
Kev
Hehe, gotta love the puppies!! Barnabas included!!
Kev, On I-17 honk as you drive by SR69. I'll be listening!!
Safe travels.
Got everything done on my list today, although it took until 6pm. Then went out to dinner with friends.
Just a few things to wrap up tomorrow, but we decided to leave on Friday. That will put us in Muskogee on Monday when the office is open and we can actually pull into our campsite.
Kev
Getting on the road tomorrow in the RV pretty much at 9am sharp, which will allow us to avoid the Phoenix, AZ rush hour traffic on our way from Gold Canyon, AZ, to Muskogee, OK. We are taking I-17N to I-40 East pretty much all the way...1180 miles towing the K5.
Going to drop the driveshaft again...still can't figure out if its safe to tow in neutral...too many conflicting opinions. So I'll err on the side of caution once again and spend 9 minutes disconnecting it, taping the bearing cups in place, and hanging it from a frame rail.
It was a lot of work, but everything is staged and we can be out of here within 20 minutes of waking up tomorrow if need be.
Even already took my shower and shaved...lol!
But we definitely are going to wait until 9am to get on the road. Before that the traffic sucks on a weekday! Not going into Phoenix, but up the 101 to 17...but the traffic is still bad during rush hour.
Anyone know how bad the elevation gains I'm going to face are, going up I-17 to Flagstaff?
Went that way last year as far as Sedona, and it wasn't all that bad...but from Sedona we took the back way to Flagstaff, and it was VERY bad...Long Long Trailer bad!
Kev
QuoteEven already took my shower and shaved...lol!
Gee if I could get a shave to last that long ......
It would already be time to shave again for me.
Dave
Flag is over 7000ft, PHX is about 1000.
Uneventful trip so far! Went from 1200-1700 feet to over 7000 feet...and some of those hills were epic!...up I-17 to Flagstaff. Our RV with its carburated 454 pulled the hills just fine towing the K5...I was keeping up with the semi trucks at least...and thanks to all the mods I did on the engine and transmission cooling systems, I never got over 220 for water temp, and not a hair over 200 for transmission temp, and both cooled down quickly after each climb.
Then we hit I-40 East, which while windy...couldn't go much faster than 50mph without being all over the road...was an easy run all the way to just outside of Gallup, NM, where we are staying for the night at a rest stop. Could have gone farther, but I hate driving at night, and this waypoint puts us about 1/3rd the way to our destination. We can't arrive before Monday morning, so I figured this was a good place to stop.
Our goal tomorrow is to make it all the way to Amarillo, TX, and stay for the night at a Flying J, then all the way to the Flying J near Muskogee, OK the next day...and roll into our campsite first thing Monday morning.
Only problem we've had so far is that the rear window on the K5, which has worked flawlessly since we bought it, decided to stop working this morning when I had to roll up the signal tow lights with flaps into it! It was stuck for some reason...had to take the access panel off and start it up a bit, then if finally closed on the flaps. Murphy's law! At least one thing has to go wrong on every trip...so I'm hoping that was the one...lol!
Ordered a beautiful burlwood dash bezel off of eBay for the K5 and had it sent to Muskogee, so maybe it will be waiting for us by the time we arrive!
And LMAO Dave! Not in the service anymore, so a day or two is good enough for my own personal inspections, since I'm the Captain...lol!
Kev
460 gruelingly long miles later, and we are parked for the night at a rest stop about 20 miles East of Amarillo...the Flying J in Amarillo doesn't have RV parking spots, and all the semi parking is the back in kind, which we can't do with a vehicle in tow.
Mechanically everything ran flawlessly, temps stayed great, and once I got out of Albuquerque, we didn't have to open the secondaries very often on the 454, so our gas mileage improved dramatically, back to its typical 7-8 mpg. Not so good going up to Flagstaff...lol!
The wind though...Geesh!!! STRONG winds all day coming from the South, with the occasional and unnerving powerful gust! Those winds lasted all the way from Albuquerque, NM, to past Amarillo, TX. And its still blowing out there!
That made those 460 miles seem VERY long, and often we were only driving 40-50 mph. Even the semi trucks were slowing down and being rocked by the wind!
The rear spring boxes are doing their job, and I think I made the right choice dropping the lower shock mounts 3 inches! The biggest bumps on the road, and nothing bottoms out anymore.
I'm exhausted, but we've only got 380 miles to go! We gassed up in Amarillo, and we'll gas up again at the Flying J in Oklahoma City tomorrow when we get there, then drive the rest of the way to the Flying J near Muskogee, in a town called Chekotaw, or something like that.
So far so good! The RV pulls the K5 just fine...not much different than the Jeep, although I feel it more when braking on steep downgrades...I put it 2nd anyways on steep downhills and just engine brake, so it all worked out. I'll pick up another Brake Buddy one of these days when I find a sweet deal on one.
Pups travel really well, and have a blast sniffing everywhere at the rest stops and reading p-mail...we make sure we stop at least every 4 hours or so.
Had way too much coffee way too late in the day, so now its time for a few Bourbons so I can get some sleep for tomorrow's leg of the journey! Lost 2 hours traveling through the time zones. We are now in Central Time and will be there for a while.
Okay...I'm rambling again. Time for a nightcap and some sleep!
Kev
A pretty uneventful 375 miles today, and we are pulled in for the night at a Flying J in Checotaw, OK, or however you spell that. Just 25 miles to go in the morning to the Muskogee Renaissance Festival.
Not much wind, but it started pouring once we hit Oklahoma City, and rained all the rest of the way. At least it was daytime! At one point I thought the windshield wipers were going to give up the ghost...they were going really slow and stuttering...and then they started acting normal...whew! Windshield wipers seem to be the bane of my existence! It was probably because they sat so long since the last time I had to use them.
Almost there! 25 miles to go, then its set up camp and the workshop and get back to work! No rest for the wicked!
Before we leave in the morning we'll fill the gas tank, the propane tank, and the BBQ grill tank...then we'll be off!
And a funny story about Paladin. On our very first road trip together and our first stop at a Flying J, he was walking along and looked up and saw on the Flying J trash cans. It scared him since he didn't see it at first, so he barked and growled at it...too cute! Well...at every Flying J we've been too since, including the ones on this trip, he now barks and growls at the trash cans, having remembered the one that jumped out at him when he was just a young pup...lmfao!
Kev
So we gased up the RV and filled the propane tank this morning at the Flying J (including the bbq tank we use for our grill), and drove the last 25 miles to the faire site.
Looks like I get 2 days off!
The campground is too soggy to try to park the RV, so we'll be out in the parking lot for the next couple of days waiting for it to dry out. Supposed to be sunny, in the 70s, and very windy for the next couple of days, so it should dry it out quickly. The plan is to boondock it out here in the parking lot for 2 days (grassy field parking lot with lots of trees...so at least its pretty), then pull into our campsite Wednesday afternoon.
So on Thursday all the real work begins. First setting up camp and the fence for the dogs, then the workshop...then get back to work building catapults!
Next week I'll be fixing the wipers and the washer bottle/motor on the K5 (bought Rain-X today which I'll be applying tomorrow), and as time allows start correcting the steering, suspension, and then checking and bleeding the brakes (replacing pads, shoes, etc if needed). I figured I'd save the brakes for after the suspension, in case I need extended brake lines...don't want to bleed it twice!
Mostly I'll just be building catapults like crazy for the next couple of months. I'll squeeze in time for K5 and RV projects and maintenance in between whenever I can. As I always do. And they always get done. Eventually. LOL!
The spring box repair came out great, and there is no bottoming out anymore. SWEET!
And thus endeth this chapter!
I'll start the new chapter, Oklahoma 2014, tomorrow morning. When I'm having my awesome percolated coffee!
The new Dogwidget collars are on charge, so tomorrow we'll start the pup's training!
Kev
Dang, I'm way behind! Where'd you pick the k5 up at?
Arizona! Rust free, new 350 engine, rebuilt 700 tranny, leaky 208 transfer case, and the most poorly done redneck 4" lift you ever saw...lol! Gonna fix all that while we are here in OK!
Kev